Things I've Learned: Emily Rudenick LeBlanc

The chief program officer of CASA of Travis County reflects on lessons of her 19 years in Austin.

Interview by Kimya Kavehkar | Photo by George Brainard

Published: April 20, 2017

Ever since Emily Rudenick LeBlanc got her master’s degree in counseling from the University of Texas, she’s worked closely with survivors of trauma. In February, after seven years at SafePlace, which recently partnered with the Austin Children’s Shelter to form SAFE Alliance, she took on a new role at CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Travis County. Over the years she’s transitioned from one-on-one client care to taking on the big systems to “make them more conducive to survivors and hopefully more just.”

ON BECOMING A FEMINIST
My mom was always the hardest worker and the lowest paid because she hadn’t gone to college. I was aware at a young age that there was something very unfair in the way she was treated at work. In high school, I was a debater, and I became aware about how boys and girls were treated differently in debate. There were different standards for what I had to look like and how I was seen as aggressive if I said some of the things that the boys said.

ON TRANSFERRING FROM USC
It’s a very rich university in a very poor neighborhood, so the haves and have-nots were very clear. It just didn’t quite fit with my values. … [And] L.A. is way too much concrete for me. I grew up in Dallas, which I thought was too much concrete to me. I thought I would be going to the beach a lot, but it would take me an hour-and-a-half to drive to the beach in my ’84 Honda Civic.

ON HER PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT
When I became the senior director of community advocacy at SafePlace, my predecessor said her one piece of advice was not to start a forensic nursing program because it was going to be too hard. Had I not disregarded that, there would not be an Eloise House right now. ... Survivors always waited several hours to get an exam, and they always got a bill. Now they go for free, and there’s no wait.

ON THE FUTURE OF NONPROFITS IN AUSTIN
We have more successful nonprofits here than most big cities, and that says a lot about the people who live here. We don’t necessarily have as many big donors as big cities do, but people here are willing to volunteer time or small amounts of money in a way that I don’t think you see everywhere. That’s what makes the nonprofit community thrive.

ON WHAT SHE DISLIKES ABOUT THE CITY
I moved from East Austin to Oak Hill, and part of that was because I have small kids, and we needed better schools. But I don’t like that there’s such a divide where white people live and where communities of color live. I don’t think that’s what’s best for the city.

ON THE BEST ADVICE SHE'S RECEIVED
A year ago I had the privilege of meeting Madeleine Albright. I was raising a then-3-year-old little girl and [asked] what advice she had for her. First, she said every woman has the same middle name: “Guilt.” When we’re at work, we think we’re not a good enough mom, and when we’re at home, we’re not working hard enough. We all need to let that go. The second thing was that women need to learn how to interrupt. Too often we’re waiting for a man to say what we’ve been thinking for the past half hour.

ON HER ENDURING LOVE OF LIVE MUSIC
I love going to live music where I can sit down. Thankfully my favorites have aged into venues that now allow me to sit. I was the 19-year-old at [Bob Schneider’s funk band] the Scabs’ concert at Antone’s, and now I’m the 37-year-old at ACL Live watching him on Valentine’s Day. It’s nice that Bob’s fans are getting older as well. We all enjoy sitting down and reminiscing about the days when we would stand up and dance.

ON THE BEST PART OF HER JOB
Seeing families find safety and stability that they didn’t have before is rewarding. I still hear from kids I worked with at Phoenix House, even though I haven’t worked there in 10 years. One call from them to say, “I wanted to let you know that I went to college” will keep me going for five years. It’s a one call to five-year ratio.

ON HER PERSONAL MANTRA
My husband always tells me to “just float.” My favorite thing to do is to float the Guadalupe [River], and when I don’t know what else to do, that’s what I repeat in my head. Something will make itself known; I don’t have to figure it out right now.